I've heard my Scottish friends talk of Burns Night, but I never actually knew what it was and did not want to show my complete stupidity by saying, “what dat den?” So when Sam invited us for a Burns Night Supper, I had to be brave and say, “what dat den?” She very kindly explained that it had nothing to do with Guy Fawkes (come on, burn, fireworks, how could I know), but with Scotland's most famous poet. (And in my defense I even know one of his 559 poems, so there.)

I clearly remember the first time my Granny said she was having black pudding for supper. I asked her what it was and she said it was made from blood. Well, I just about threw up and seriously questioned her mental health for a long time. What does pudding have to do with blood, I still ask, but even Wikipedia didn't go into the origin of the name. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pudding . Do you perhaps know why it's called a pudding?

It's a little late but a lot heartfelt: here's wishing you the happiest, healthiest and luckiest year ever. May you keep none of your New Years Resolutions and still be deliriously happy. THANK YOU for staying faithful to me in spite of my very long dry periods, some of which were for no good reason and others were also for no good reason, but on a different level.